Looking at the sky that flew over Diamant, Ryo sat at the edge of the concrete in front of L'Arc's house with a blank face, taking in the subtle disappearance of the light.

"What's wrong with me…" He thought to himself silently.

"Ryo!" a concerned voice came from afar, and then a figure running towards Ryo. He stood up and examined the worried face.

"Ryfia…" Ryo replied, "What's the matter?" he said looking at the dazzling eyes full of questions.

"I just wanted to say…." Ryfia hesitated as she tried to catch her breath, "I wanted to say thank you." The girl looked at the swordsman gently.

"Huh?" Ryo tilted his head slightly to the right as a silence between the two took place. "Oh Ryfia, if you mean back there, then please don't mention it, that was the least I could've done," the blonde swordsman smiled, scratching the back of his head.

"Ryo, if you don't mind," Ryfia started slowly, wanting to say what was boggling her mind this whole time, "can I ask why you acted like that back there?" the innocence of her face simply vanished when she asked the question.

"Ryfia?" Ryo shockingly looked at her, as his posture stiffened up.

"I mean, you didn't seem like…yourself…" Ryfia explained as she nervously fidgeted with her fingers.

"Did I, well I tend to become more aggressive when I'm angry so I don't seem like myself" Ryo said as he was cut off by Ryfia.

"I didn't feel that vibe that I usually feel from you. You were completely different…. You just weren't you." Ryfia mumbled as she tried to express her thoughts in her jumbled words.

"What are you saying?" Ryo's eyes widened.

"It was like you became a totally different person," Ryfia explained as she tried to remember the scenario with his sudden change, "Like you were more than a human…" she continued when she was cut off.

"Hey, you guys realize its getting dark and it's been a long day, right?" Cecille questioned with her arms crossed, "I mean I can barely stand because of that meeting and all that waiting." She said, catching the attention of Ryo and Ryfia.

"Yeah, it was tiring," L'Arc agreed with the hero, putting one hand over his forehead, "I don't think I can handle all this, you know, the boring old meetings."

"Why don't you guys go get some rest?" Ryo smiled sweetly to the three, "then we'll see what we have to do tomorrow." Cecille nodded frantically, pushing Ryfia towards the door to the school.

"Oh! Ryfia, I remembered something. We're out of liquids so I'm going to buy some from the shop!" Cecille smiled towards the Diva, "I'll be back really fast, just go to sleep, okay?"

"Who are you?" the girl said, her voice echoing through the void darkness that was only seeable because of the faint light shining from behind the opaque door. Walking up to the large door, she laid a soft hand on the rigid surface and slightly pushed the door.

"Irene!" the voice changed to a brutal screech and screamed to the girl, in which she shielded her eyes from the bright light as it pushed strong gusts of wind towards her.

"I know that voice…" the lady whispered, listening closely to the gentle voice taken over by the harsh screech that was calling for her.

"Eh?!" the fair lady felt a strange vibe from inside the door. She wanted to walk in there and find who it was that was calling her.

"Irene, save him." The voice pleaded, shocking the diva. "Don't let him be taken asunder."

"Who?" Ryfia asked the invisible presence awaiting an answer. Suddenly, the girl felt the ground suck her into the darkness as she sunk into the ground. "No, wait! Tell me who you're talking about." She struggled to get out of the grasp of the force that pulled her into the surface.

"The other half of you…" the voice faded slightly until it vanished as the violet-haired girl was taken in by the darkness.

"No way…" Cecille condemningly looked at the ground, not being able to believe anything the swordsman told them.

"Ryfia can't be acting like this deliberately! There must be a reason why she's doing what she's doing…" L'Arc expressed while shaking his head.

"I met Ryfia again where she was wandering, and when she woke up the next morning, she claimed that she was in Diamant the whole time." Ryo explained.

"What?" Cecille put a hand across her mouth.

"It would've been okay if the fact was that she was exhausted from the traveling that it made her forget mostly what happened. But she wouldn't have attempted to hurt me either and that too, wielding MY sword." Ryo said, as the other two's eyes widened out of fear and confusion.

"Ryfia was fighting you with a sword?" L'Arc questioned with a bit higher volume voice.

"She tackled me like she's been using a sword as her everyday weapon. It was quite surprising how she even managed to get it out of my grasp…" Ryo nodded, remembering the event.

"Something just doesn't seem right…" Cecille crossed her arms as she shook her head frantically, turning her head over the confused L'Arc. "What do you think?"

"Ryo, didn't you say something about a mark that appeared?" L'Arc inquired anxiously, "That night when you saved Ryfia from that monster, that same night, a mark appeared on her forehead."

"Oh yeah, if what happened to you was real, then what Ryo is saying isn't a lie after all," Cecille implied.

"What? It happened to you, too?" Ryo raised an eyebrow at L'Arc's statement.

"She said she wasn't Ryfia but was this so called 'Irene', like you said," L'Arc closed his eyes, "I'm starting to worry a bit."

"L'Arc, it'll be fine, let's try to get some sleep. If Ryfia sees us, she'll suspect what we were doing." Cecille suggested.

"Okay, everyone, get good sleep," L'Arc said, smiling at his two friends. Waving at each other, they each turned towards their rooms until a trembling voice reached the trio's ears. A pestered man came running towards the three heroes.

"Please, sirs, help us!" the man frantically shook Ryo in an attempt to pull him towards the stairs.

"What's wrong?" L'Arc inquired the troubled citizen.

"M-Monsters! Everywhere, at the bridge outside of Diamant!" he puffed heavily and rapidly.

"Monsters? L'Arc, what do we do?" Ryo looked towards the brunette in hope for an answer as he tried to console the struggling man.

"What else can we do? We have to get rid of them…show us where they are." L'Arc and Ryo followed the man as they came upon the bridge of Diamant. The swordsmen looked around at the havoc that the monsters created as soldiers of the Empire were being thrown off the bay.

"This does not look good…" Ryo shook his head, unsheathing his blade slowly. Aiming sharply at one of the wolves with his big sword, L'Arc walked slowly towards the pack of wolves, step by step.

"Heavy Crush!" L'Arc jumped in a spiral movement and spiked down at one of the wolves. Another wolf came to attack him when Cecille kicked him on the side making him fall off the bridge.

"Light Blade!" Ryo commanded making his sword flame up with luminous gold flares as he attacked the wolf, slicing right through it. The three came closer together while keeping an eye on their targets.

"There's just too many! They keep coming." Cecille squealed looking at a wolf with malice in its eyes while L'Arc swung his sword multiple times at a large beast clawing at the soldier.

"I can't think of anything we can do." L'Arc said as he punched the living daylights out of the monster. His eyes widened as he saw a few more malicious monsters coming towards the group.

"Woah! There are, like, hundreds of them and only three of us!" Cecille shouted.

"Nngh!" Ryo squirmed as he fell to the ground in agony.

"Ryo!" Cecille and L'Arc cried in sync. "What's wrong?!" A wolf pounced on the fallen soldier and began to dangerously claw on to him.

"L'Arc!" Cecille screamed as they synced their magic. "Got it, Binding light!" L'Arc thrust his hand forward as a glowing ball of light formed around the wolf and burst to cause massive damage to the wolf.

"Flashy Spear!" Cecille swung her arms in circles as a heavenly spear formed and she threw the large spear towards some of the wolves, exterminating them at once. She looked back to the group to see something odd happening. "L'Arc, look!" Cecille screamed to the brunette.

"Huh? Ryo, what's going on?" L'Arc and Cecille looked at the swordsman with surprised looks. Streaks of light pulsated from his body as an explosion of light filled the area.

Walking in a forest that had nothing but the shining moon, the lost damsel wandered on an endless path that led to more of the area. The girl could hear the faint whispers reaching her ears, asking endless questions. Looking towards the scenery, she sensed a presence nearby.

"Who's there?" she anxiously called out. Shadows formed on the forest floor and the lifeless leaves started to wither. As the lady watched the silver moon's light cast upon the leaves, a voice called from behind her as she stopped in her tracks to hear it.

"Ryfia…" the familiar voice gently said as it stood out from the whispers. She turned around to see a figure of a lad standing in the dark part of the forest facing towards her. The leaves glistened in the air from the moon's light and swayed in the wind, passing by the figure, revealing some of his features. A faint light fell on part of his green eyes and on his gentle smile.

"Irene," another gentle voice came from the void at the end of the path. She turned away from the figure and laid her eyes on the path. The shimmering leaves lit the path little by little as soothing wind embraced the damsel, swaying her hair gently. The ebullience of the scene beyond the trail fascinated the fair lady.

"Irene…" he gently called out once again from the end of the path. Resonance pulsated out of her body as it lighted up the pathway like lantern. Realizing her instincts telling her to keep going, she walked on the path once again towards the voice that called to her, completely relaxing herself in the aura.

Suddenly, a strong light shot out from Ryo as he stood up with his sword pointed towards the ground. He slowly stiffened his posture and stabbed the sword into the ground covering the sword with electrical currents. Streaks of light formed around the sword one by one as a cloud of magical dust created a heavy turbulence in the atmosphere.

"It looks like he's summoning…" Cecille gasped, looking towards a confused L'Arc. Before the two knew it, heavy gusts of wind pushed outwards in every direction, having the duo cover their eyes in the opposite direction of the wind.

"AAARRGH!" Ryo screamed, as his sword began to suction the heavy winds. A few seconds later, the spiraling dust turned into ray and the surface of the earth began to shake frantically. The sky turned a deep hue of scarlet and unyielding light created impressions of a pale sequence in the air. The ground began to calm down as the monsters lie weakly on the ground, and suddenly, a burst of ray and wind exploded from beneath the ground, making it seem like the bridge faltered.

"Ah!" Cecille screamed, holding onto L'Arc's arm, protecting herself from the impact. With closed eyes, L'Arc and Cecille couldn't see the effects of Ryo's action; hence, they could feel the strength of the gusts weaken and calm a bit, and they were able to open their eyes slowly to see the sky returned to its original look, and the landscape untouched.

Standing up slowly, they trembled in their legs after the remarkable event that happened right before their eyes. The two examined the area to realize not one leaf out of its place and no monsters to be seen.

"R-Ryo? What the heck was that?!" L'Arc inquired, shaken up. Ryo stood smiling at his two friends, making it seem like nothing happened.

"I don't know exactly…" Ryo shook his head in distress.

"You idiot, what if something happened to you?!" Cecille worriedly questioned the blonde.

"Hey, but nothing did, right? And look! The monsters are gone, anyways." Ryo sheepishly smiled, rubbing his injured right arm.

"I don't get it, why didn't anything get destroyed? I mean all that disaster could've collapsed the bridge…" L'Arc confusingly exclaimed, scratching part of his head.

"Ryo, you were in extreme pain, and then something happened to you. Where'd you get such power?" Cecille came closer to the injured soldier who had an anguished face.

"Actually, I've never even encountered such a thing…" Ryo started, looking towards the ground, "And if you think about it, it wasn't pain. I felt my power rise, and then a sudden burst of energy channeled through my body which could've caused the shock. And after that, I felt my strength to its absolute limit. For a second, I thought as if I was someone else."

"Sweet! I wish I had something like that!" Cecille chimed.

"Do you really, Cecille?" Ryo in turn asked, retrieving a nod from the cheery hero.

"Agreed, but let's also get you to rest, your arm isn't doing so well, Ryo." Cecille analyzed the arm. "Let me help you." Cecille grabbed the blonde haired soldier's arm and let it rest on her shoulder as she supported him for the walk back.

"Actually, Ryo let me let you on a secret. L'Arc, here, once actually came into believing that I might marry him!" Cecille laughed hysterically, making L'Arc shocked. Ryo burst out laughing to the point that his eyes started to water.

"C-Cecille!" L'Arc made a fist showing it to the hero, "I didn't ever believe that…" he stopped remembering the event. "Grr…why you…" a deadly eye shot towards Cecille as the latter and Ryo continued to laugh.

"But, I have to say, Ryo has a much better laugh than L'Arc's. As a matter of fact, L'Arc doesn't even laugh…" Cecille retorted, steaming L'Arc's mind as he crossed his arms in dismay. The trio came back to the Martial Arts school and took care of Ryo's arm.

"Alright, thanks you two," Ryo nodded and headed towards the staircase of in front of the house. "Goodnight!"

"Wait a minute, where are you going?" L'Arc asked Ryo.

"To the inn, that's where I'll stay for the night, and then I'm guessing we'll head for another place, right?" Ryo answered, tiredly.

"Yeah, but that's be too much of a hassle for you. I have enough room in my house; just stay there for the night." L'Arc chuckled slightly, offering the swordsman aid. Ryo smiled back and nodded slightly, thanking L'Arc.

"L'Arc. L'AARRRCC!" a teasing voice chimed in his ears early morning. Rubbing his eyes, he tiredly got up into a sitting posture. "Sleepyhead, you've been sleeping for longer than usual!" the curly-haired girl crossed her arms with her eyebrows raised.

"I'm up now…" L'Arc sarcastically reacted to the young girl.

"Don't worry, it's not only you," Cecille pointed to the direction where Ryo was sleeping, "he's still sleeping, too."

"Hey, Ryo, get up man!" L'Arc shook the blonde lad as he lay on the floor, sleeping heavily.

"See?!" Cecille pouted, "What's with men being such lazy bums." She rubbed her two fingers on her forehead.

"Good morning." A sweet voice called from the door.

"Oh, you're up." L'Arc looked at the girl as she sat by the sleeping Ryo, nodding slightly.

"Hey, Ryfia," Cecille cheerfully greeted the diva, "we're just trying to wake up this sleepyhead." Cecille shook her head in dismay.

"Why isn't he awake yet?" Ryfia tilted her head to one side in question.

"That what we were wondering." L'Arc answered hopelessly. The trio looked at each other with confusion on their faces when suddenly the soldier started to wake up. His blue eyes started reveal slowly as he slowly began to get up, putting one hand on his head.

"Woah!" Ryo screeched looking at the startled faces that stared at him. "Why are you guys looking at me like that?"

"Because you've been asleep for so long, it's not even funny! I've tried so hard to wake you up." Cecille explained irritated.

"Maybe it's because of what happened last night." Ryo stated.

"What happened last night?" Ryfia innocently asked.

"Oh yeah, what happened was-" Ryo started but wasn't able to finish because of Cecille's hand on his mouth.

"What?" Ryfia cocked her head to one side.

"Oh, N-nothing, it's not important." L'Arc grinned weirdly, making Ryfia even more curious.

"Don't tell her." Cecille whispered to Ryo quietly. "If you do then she'll ask too many questions for us to handle. And trust me, you don't want her questions." Ryo nodded slowly.

"Wow, he must've annoyed you a lot, huh?" Ryo surprisingly looked at the troubled girl. "Although, he sounds like a fun fellow."

"Oh yeah…." L'Arc melancholy looked at the table, "he was an amazing guy, he helped us a lot." He looked to his side to also find a sorrowful Ryfia.

"Serge was actually the Legendary Leon. He used to be my idol before I met him," L'Arc said, filling the gap of silence, "He worked with my Father and…Gramps Zamuel…" L'Arc gripped his hands tightly, concealing the pain that portrayed his face. "I wish you were here today…"

"L'Arc…" Ryfia whispered, empathizing with his sadness.

"Wow, really!" Ryo shockingly looked at the three.

"Oh yes!" Cecille chimed in, "they were probably the strongest of Fulhiem at that time, and even now, maybe. But they were probably the strongest I've ever met." She smiled, fixing her curls.

"Was that your only group?" Ryo slightly tilted his head. "There has to be more, right?"

"Well, there was, of course, Leslie." L'Arc chuckled, "She was mysterious, but she was a good friend."

"Leslie always knew what she was doing and was always there for us. She might've had her problems, but she was really kindhearted." Ryfia said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"OH, there was Rastan, too!" Cecille added, "A very mysterious old man but, man oh man! He was one handsome old skilled swordsman. Sure he was really sequestered and was really hard to get to smile, but a really nice gentleman. He also was friends with the Lord Knights; no wonder he was so strong!"

Cecille laughed as her other two friends felt embarrassed by her ditzy attitude.

"I must say, you guys definitely had awesome friends, it almost makes me jealous." Ryo nodded, smiling softly at the three best friends.

"Well, I guess we should head to Carbunculus, right, L'Arc?" Cecille suggested, getting a nod as a reply from the brunette. The party quickly packed up and started their journey to Carbunculus.

"Diamant is in great shape, I'm actually proud Alf," L'Arc sighed confidently, as he took in a breath of the rich, urban scent of Diamant.

"Yes." Cecille and Ryfia said in sync, as they both watched people of the Divine Race and Common Race walk around the streets freely.

"But to think he got married…" Cecille laughed, "It makes me want to look more into this. Wasn't it Adele who…" Cecille got cut off by the sad looks on L'Arc and Ryfia's faces.

"Yes, Alf did like Adele…" Ryfia stated softly as she pushed a branch from a tree away from her, "But Adele…"

"Adele liked me and I ignored her feelings," L'Arc obscurely thought to himself with a sad face.

"Adele never even looked at him!" Cecille cried, interrupting Ryfia, "He was such an amazing man, how could anyone look down at him like that?" Cecille smirked, trying to take control of the atmosphere.

"So sorry to barge in like this, but who's this 'Adele'?" Ryo tilted his head to the side with one hand on his hip.

"A girl who's heart was off in a distant place…" L'Arc replied with a straightforward attitude.

"No, L'Arc, she wouldn't have felt like that if I wasn't there at all," Ryfia replied, "Adele was an amazing person and I changed her. I shouldn't have ever even-"

"You didn't do anything!" L'Arc retorted in a louder tone, surprising Ryo and Cecille. "You don't even know what I want…."

"I was the opposing diva and she saw that as a threat!" Ryfia shouted a little louder than the swordsman, shocking him.

"Ryfia?" Ryo saw an eerie scarlet shine over the hazel color of the diva's eyes and a mark flickered once on her forehead.

"It was mostly about who the Child of Eesa would choose, and since you were forced to choose Imaginal…" Ryfia continued in her changed speech, "Adele thought I took you away!" her scarlet eyes piercingly glaring right into L'Arc's.

"…" L'Arc realized the change in her tone and eye color and spotted her clenched fists.

"During the day?" was the question that lingered between the three who held the secret of the change in Ryfia's personality.

"Alright, shut up both of you!" Cecille intervened, realizing what was happening, "It wasn't anyone's fault, okay?!" Cecille's interference caused everyone to stop and stare at the ground. Ryo examined Ryfia's eyes to have returned to her normal hazel eyes.

The party continued to walk to Carbunculus while no one talked to the other and only thought to themselves, wanting answers to their question. Upon reaching the Republic, people from both the races settled into the city, just like Diamant, and the security was better than it was before.

"Hello, are you travelers?" the guard asked pleasantly, "if you are, then feel free to take a look around our beautiful Republic. But first show us your identification, please."

"We don't have any identification cards," Cecille explained.

"Oh well, then maybe you should get one," the guard kindly insisted, "You can get it from the Senate. Once you do that, and then feel free to roam in this safe city."

"Well that's good to hear, atleast we know that this city has good reputation." Ryo added to the positive comment stated by the guard.

"Let's head to the Senate, we'll get our ID's made and we'll get to see it from the inside." L'Arc said, nodding once with a smile towards the guard.

People walked in and out of the shop and the inn expanded into a larger hotel with lovely swirly designs on the white doors. The concrete steps were separated with a golden railing decorated by Morning Glories. When the party reached the steps to the Senate, many people were gathered around there talking carelessly to each other.

"Oh, excuse me!" Cecille formally walked her way through people saying the same line. Guards stood there as well in front of the huge arched entrance.

"Oh, hello there. If you want to meet with the director, you must show us your identification," the cheery guard smiled as she stuck one hand towards L'Arc.

"Is that so? Well before you go in, you need to pass through a test. We need to make sure you have nothing with you that could harm anyone in our society."

"That's not fair, we are just travelers…" Cecille crossed her arms, insulted.

"It's security, Cecille," Ryo said as he stepped in the security checker. "You need to get through with it." he chuckled seeing the struggled Cecille.

"Alright, go right in!" the guard smiled warmly after checking everyone in the group.

As the party entered the Senate, their eyes went straight to the glistening silver staircase that led to the top floor and the halls were decorated with many distinct flowers hanging from the ceiling and the walls were coated with sandy beige paint that matched the furniture inside the building. A small fountain stood in the centre of the main floor with water gushing out of a swan-like statue.

"Woah! Talk about heaven!" Cecille cheerfully chimed as she took in the beauty of the area. Heading up carefully to the directors room, the senators politely greeted the party as they head down to the main floor. L'Arc walked towards the mahogany door and lightly knocked on the door awaiting a reply.

"Come in," a gentle voice called from the other side. Opening the door, a young lady was revealed from inside the room with her seated at her desk as she looked softly at the group with her round, deep brown eyes. Her ginger loose waves flowed openly down her back as some locks fell down the sides of her face. Her pale white skin matched the silhouette pink dress.

"Hello there, nice to meet you," she softly welcomed the group warmly as she stood up, "I'm the director, but you may call me Lillia."

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